Kia wins What Car? awards for Sportage, EV9

MANILA: Kia bagged two awards at the 2023 What Car? Car of the Year Awards.

The Kia Sportage was selected as the Best Family SUV by What Car? magazine's judging panel, beating out all other contenders in the UK's fiercely competitive vehicle segment.

The judging panel, composed of the publication’s team of expert road testers, were very impressed by the features of the Kia Sportage, saying, “We've group tested the Kia Sportage extensively in various guises over the last 12 months, and it's emerged victorious every time, but when you consider its competitive pricing, all of the equipment that you get as standard and how complete a car the Sportage is, it's easy to see why. It strikes a near-perfect balance between agility and comfort, which gets it off to a great start against any rival. Meanwhile, the interior neatly blends practicality with style.”

“We’re proud to see the Sportage recognized by What Car? as the ideal family vehicle,” Kia UK Limited President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Philpott stated. “As our best-selling model in the UK, it’s incredibly popular with buyers looking for a car that covers all the bases, at a range of different price points. Now offering hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, the model perfectly represents our leadership in electrification and also gives customers greater choice.”

The latest Kia Sportage model made its UK debut in early 2022. It was the sixth best-selling new car in the UK last year, with 29,655 units sold. For the first time in the Kia Sportage's five generations, hybrid and plug-in hybrid options are now available.

The Kia EV9, on the other hand, received the Readers’ Choice award. The Kia EV9 was chosen by What Car? readers, saying that the electric vehicle is their most anticipated new car of 2023.

“We asked What Car? readers to name the upcoming model that they're most excited about from a 14-car shortlist, with each of the contenders given equal promotion via our website and social media channels but despite this, the Kia EV9 emerged victorious after attracting more than twice as many votes as the second-placed car,” What Car? said. “This is the second time in three years that Kia has won this award, with the EV6 taking top spot in 2021. If the EV9 turns out to be as good as that car, it will be truly special.”

The Kia EV9 is expected to be unveiled later this year, and UK deliveries are anticipated to start by the end of the year. It is the next electric vehicle to be introduced as part of Kia's long-term “Plan S” strategy for electrification leadership. It follows the Kia EV6 and the all-new Kia Niro EV as one of nine Kia electric vehicles scheduled to debut in the UK between 2021 and 2027.

The What Car? Car of the Year Awards recognizes the best new cars in different vehicle categories. In order to be eligible for the awards, a vehicle must have undergone parallel testing with its competitors on UK roads and at a specialized testing facility.

Photos from Kia

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